What Companies Look For (And Why Candidates Get Overlooked) with Melissa Cluver

Empowering Women in the Trades with Anita Bruno

This episode of Career Intelligence brings forward a conversation with Anita Bruno, who is redefining what it means to build a career in the trades. Through her work with Rhode Island Women in the Trades, Anita is helping to shift mindsets, break stereotypes, and create real access points for women to enter and thrive in these opportunities. She built a nonprofit focused on advocacy, training, and access for women at every stage, from middle school students to those reentering society. Her story sheds light on both the challenges and opportunities within an industry facing a major workforce gap. Whether you’re a parent, educator, or someone considering a career change, this episode offers valuable insights into the earning potential, career mobility, and long-term stability the trades can provide. Visit our website, where you will find all episodes and show notes. We would love it if you would follow, rate, and review! www.careerintelligencepodcast.com [http://www.careerintelligencepodcast.com] We want to hear from you! Connect with us! Kathleen Dohoney celticcareerpros.com [http://celticcareerpros.com]LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleendohoney1/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleendohoney1/] Betsy Jewell betsyjewellcoaching.com [http://betsyjewellcoaching.com]LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/betsyjewell/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/betsyjewell/] Meredith Pasekoff-Dinitz yourcareerhappinesspc.com [http://yourcareerhappinesspc.com]LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-pasekoffdinitz/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-pasekoffdinitz/] ---------------------------------------- About Today’s Guest Anita Bruno, CEO RI Women In the Trades anita@riwomeninthetrades.org [anita@riwomeninthetrades.org]  https://www.riwomeninthetrades.org/ [https://www.riwomeninthetrades.org/] Anita is a union carpenter, entrepreneur, and workforce development leader dedicated to expand opportunities for women in the construction industry. She is the founder of Rhode Island Women in the Trades (RI WIT), an organization committed to preparing women and girls—particularly those from underserved and justice-impacted communities—for careers in the skilled trades. Since launching RI WIT in 2019, Anita has developed innovative pre-apprenticeship and workforce development initiatives that provide hands-on construction training, safety education, and direct pathways into union apprenticeships and careers. Her work includes leading the ReBUILD Her Pathways program in partnership with the Rhode Island Department of Corrections, which equips incarcerated women with construction skills and workforce readiness training prior to reentry. Anita currently serves on the Board of Directors for Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England and is a member of the Providence Career and Technical Education (CTE) Advisory Committee, where she helps strengthen workforce pipelines connecting education and industry. She also contributes to nationwide policy and workforce discussions through her involvement with the National Taskforce for Tradeswomen and is a lifetime member of the NAACP.

Curiosity Is the New Career Advantage - Preparing for Work in the Age of AI with Liz Moran

AI is everywhere in the headlines,  but what’s actually happening inside companies? In this episode of the Career Intelligence Podcast, Betsy Jewell talks with Liz Moran, Director of Academic Programs and Certification at SAS, about the gap between AI hype and the reality of adoption inside organizations. Liz brings a unique perspective, having spent more than two decades working across both higher education and industry. Before joining SAS, she served as Assistant Dean of Academic Programs at North Carolina State University, giving her insight into how universities and employers are both trying to prepare for the future of work. In this conversation, Betsy and Liz explore why curiosity and learning agility may be more valuable than specific technical skills, how companies are actually approaching AI adoption, and what that means for early-career professionals entering today’s job market. They also discuss the growing role of micro-credentials, the importance of data ethics and AI governance, and why professionals at every stage of their careers will need to rethink how they learn and adapt. ---------------------------------------- What You'll Learn in This Episode * Why the reality of AI adoption inside companies looks very different from the headlines * Why curiosity is becoming a powerful hiring signal * What employers actually mean when they say they hire for “potential” * The challenges universities face in preparing students for a rapidly changing workforce * How micro-credentials and short learning “sprints” may shape future career development * Why understanding AI ethics and governance is becoming important across many fields ---------------------------------------- We want to hear from you! Connect with us! Betsy Jewell betsyjewellcoaching.com [http://betsyjewellcoaching.com]LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/betsyjewell/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/betsyjewell/] Kathleen Dohoney celticcareerpros.com [http://celticcareerpros.com]LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleendohoney1/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleendohoney1/] Meredith Pasekoff-Dinitz yourcareerhappinesspc.com [http://yourcareerhappinesspc.com]LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-pasekoffdinitz/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-pasekoffdinitz/] ---------------------------------------- About Today's Guest Liz Moran has spent more than two decades working across higher education and industry, focused on how people learn, teach, and apply technology in real-world settings. She is currently the Director of Academic Programs and Certification at SAS, where she leads teams supporting students and educators in data science and AI education. Before joining SAS, she spent 15 years in public higher education, including serving as an Assistant Dean of Academic Programs at North Carolina State University. Through this work, Liz has become increasingly interested in workforce development and transformation—particularly how education systems, employers, and learners are navigating rapid change without clear playbooks. Liz Moran on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moranliz/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/moranliz/]

What Companies Look For (And Why Candidates Get Overlooked) with Melissa Cluver

Why do strong candidates sometimes get overlooked? Many professionals experience hiring from the outside. They submit resumes, prepare for interviews, and try to present their experience clearly, but they rarely get visibility into how organizations are actually evaluating candidates and making decisions internally. In this episode of the Career Intelligence Podcast, Meredith Dinitz is joined by Melissa Cluver, a Senior Talent Business Partner at Kimberly-Clark who partners closely with senior leaders on talent strategy, leadership development, and organizational design. Together, they explore what organizations are really looking for beyond skills and experience, why strong candidates don’t always move forward, and some of the biggest misconceptions professionals have about how hiring decisions actually get made. By the end of the episode, you’ll have a clearer understanding of how organizations evaluate candidates and how to position your experience more effectively in the process. ________________ We want to hear from you! Connect with us! Meredith Pasekoff-Dinitz yourcareerhappinesspc.com [http://yourcareerhappinesspc.com]LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-pasekoffdinitz/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-pasekoffdinitz/] Betsy Jewell betsyjewellcoaching.com [http://betsyjewellcoaching.com]LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/betsyjewell/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/betsyjewell/] Kathleen Dohoney celticcareerpros.com [http://celticcareerpros.com]LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleendohoney1/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleendohoney1/] ---------------------------------------- About Today's Guest Melissa Cluver is a Senior Talent Business Partner at Kimberly‑Clark, supporting the Global Growth and R&D organizations. She works closely with senior leaders on talent strategy, organizational design, and leadership development, bringing a strong global perspective shaped by experience across South Africa, Bahrain, and the United States. Melissa is currently completing her Professional Coaching Certification and is deeply passionate about executive coaching, inclusive leadership, and building future‑ready organizations. Outside of work, she is a proud mother of two daughters, Emily (7) and Madison (4). When she’s not spending time with her family, she enjoys caring for her indoor plants, hiking, pottery, and yoga. Melissa Cluver on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-cluver-03647891/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-cluver-03647891/]

The Power of Career Clarity with Meredith Dinitz and Betsy Jewell

On this podcast, we often talk about hiring trends, market shifts, and tactical career strategy. But today, we’re talking about something more foundational - clarity. The kind that changes how you walk into an interview, how you evaluate your role, and how you decide what’s next. As we were recording, what really stood out to me is how similar the patterns are. Whether someone is just starting out or twenty years into their career, the details look different - internships versus leadership roles, first jobs versus restructures, but the root issue is often the same. When you don’t have clarity, you second-guess yourself. When you do, you move differently. So today, we’re each sharing a real client story and unpacking what was happening beneath the résumé, beneath the title, beneath the frustration. ________________ Visit our website where you can find all episodes and show notes. We would love it if you would follow, rate and review! www.careerintelligencepodcast.com [http://www.careerintelligencepodcast.com] We want to hear from you! Connect with us! Meredith Pasekoff-Dinitz yourcareerhappinesspc.com [http://yourcareerhappinesspc.com]LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-pasekoffdinitz/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-pasekoffdinitz/] Betsy Jewell betsyjewellcoaching.com [http://betsyjewellcoaching.com]LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/betsyjewell/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/betsyjewell/] Kathleen Dohoney celticcareerpros.com [http://celticcareerpros.com]LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleendohoney1/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleendohoney1/]

Portfolios, Proof of Work & the Future of Early Career With Dr. Anna Stumpf

In this episode, Dr. Anna Stumpf and I dig into a question we both keep coming back to: Are we witnessing the death of the resume economy and moving into a proof-of-work economy? Listen in as we talk about what a “portfolio” really means (hint: not just for artists), how to show how you think, not just what you’ve done, and why the human premium is increasingly found in your process, judgment, curiosity, and reflection. ________________ We want to hear from you! Connect with us! Betsy Jewell betsyjewellcoaching.com [http://betsyjewellcoaching.com] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/betsyjewell/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/betsyjewell/] Kathleen Dohoney celticcareerpros.com [http://celticcareerpros.com] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleendohoney1/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleendohoney1/] Meredith Pasekoff-Dinitz yourcareerhappinesspc.com [http://yourcareerhappinesspc.com] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-pasekoffdinitz/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-pasekoffdinitz/] ---------------------------------------- About Today's Guest Dr. Anna Stumpf is an organizational coach and leadership strategist who helps professional services firms develop the next generation of confident, collaborative leaders. With more than 30 years of experience spanning corporate leadership, higher education, and organizational coaching, she partners with firms where performance expectations are high—but leadership support is often limited. Anna specializes in working with technically skilled managers who were promoted for their expertise but were never fully equipped to lead people, projects, and clients effectively. Through coaching, real-time application, and assessment-based insight, she helps leaders move from reactive to strategic and from overwhelmed to impactful. She is certified in multiple MHS assessment tools, including EQ-i 2.0®, EQ360, Hardiness Resilience Gauge™, and Change Style Indicator™, and conducts in-depth 1:1 360 interviews that provide leaders with clarity, language, and practical direction for growth. Anna also created the Double Skills Gap framework to address the unique challenges faced by technically brilliant managers stepping into leadership roles. As the founder of Collective Energy Coaching, Anna works primarily with organizations of 50–500 employees, often coaching multiple managers across year-long development engagements. Her approach goes beyond traditional training, aligning individuals and leadership layers to drive performance, strengthen culture, and create lasting behavior change. Anna is committed to helping organizations unlock their full potential through strategic leadership development—building strong, connected leaders who elevate teams, serve clients well, and position their firms for long-term success. Dr. Anna Stumpf on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amstumpf/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/amstumpf/] Collective Energy website: https://www.collectiveenergycoach.com/ [https://www.collectiveenergycoach.com/]